Rob Thirlby
Encyclopedia
Rob Graham Thirlby born in Penzance
, Cornwall
is a Cornish rugby
union footballer who plays on the wing or full back for Yatton whilst also acting as the video analyst for Gloucester Rugby. He previously played for Moseley
, Penzance-Newlyn
, and for Redruth
whom he joined from Gloucester Rugby.
He played regularly for the England Sevens
team.
, Thirlby began his career with Redruth
before guesting for Penzance & Newlyn
in the 1998 Safari Sevens
tournament in Kenya
where he was spotted by Kyran Bracken
who recommended him to Saracens and Thirlby joined the club ahead of the 1998-1999 season. He made his Sarries debut in an Anglo-Welsh clash with Cardiff
on 16 January 1999, kicking 11 points in a 36-22 victory. He made his Premiership
debut against Northampton Saints
on 6 February 1999 and went on to make 28 appearances for the club in the competition, scoring six tries.
in May 2000 and celebrated his move with a call up for England
's 2000 tour of South Africa
. Although he did not appear in the test side, he played in the three tour matches, scoring a try in the 36-27 victory over Gauteng Falcons
. He played 36 times for Bath in the Premiership
scoring eight tries, the highlight being the hat-trick of tries he scored against Rotherham on 14 April 2001, before joining Rotherham in February 2003. He helped the club secure promotion from National Division One back into the Premiership
before returning to Cornwall
and Penzance & Newlyn
for the 2003-2004 season.
, Thirlby returned to the Premiership
by signing a two-year contract with Gloucester Rugby. After just ten Premiership
appearances and a solitary try, Thirlby joined Redruth
on loan in January 2007, agreeing a permanent two-year contract with the club in March 2007.
team. He represented the team in both the RWC Sevens 2001
and RWC Sevens 2005
, the only England player to do so, and was a member of Joe Lydon's twelve-man squad for the 2002 Commonwealth Games
in Manchester
. Although the team returned without medals, they did win the Sevens Plate in the tournament. He has made 35 appearances in the IRB Sevens World Series
, the third highest total by an England player.
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
is a Cornish rugby
Cornish rugby
Rugby union in Cornwall is one of the Duchy's most popular sports.-CRFU:The Cornwall Rugby Football Union was formed in 1883. It is a union of 39 rugby union clubs which includes every rugby union club in Cornwall, the open age Cornwall representative side and representative teams at various age...
union footballer who plays on the wing or full back for Yatton whilst also acting as the video analyst for Gloucester Rugby. He previously played for Moseley
Moseley Rugby Football Club
Moseley Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club, based at Billesley Common in Birmingham, that competes in the RFU Championship. The club was historically the premier rugby club in Birmingham, reaching the final of the John Player Cup three times in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
, Penzance-Newlyn
Cornish Pirates
The Cornish Pirates are an English professional rugby union team who play in the Championship, the second level of the English rugby union pyramid, and are the premier Cornish rugby club. Formerly known as Penzance & Newlyn Pirates, the Cornish Pirates play their home games and train at their...
, and for Redruth
Redruth R.F.C.
Redruth RFC is a Rugby union team from Cornwall.- History:Redruth RFC was founded in 1875 by Henry Grylls and W.H. Willimot. By the 1900s, the club was the most successful in Cornwall, a position they were to hold for much of the twentieth century. In 1908, the club defeated Durham to win the...
whom he joined from Gloucester Rugby.
He played regularly for the England Sevens
England national rugby union team (sevens)
The English national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.-Honours:* 1973 International Seven-A-Side Tournament - Winners* Rugby World Cup Sevens Winners 1993* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2002* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2003*...
team.
Saracens
Educated at Richard Lander SchoolRichard Lander School
The Richard Lander School is a secondary school, a specialist technical college, in Truro, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. It is named after Richard Lemon Lander...
, Thirlby began his career with Redruth
Redruth R.F.C.
Redruth RFC is a Rugby union team from Cornwall.- History:Redruth RFC was founded in 1875 by Henry Grylls and W.H. Willimot. By the 1900s, the club was the most successful in Cornwall, a position they were to hold for much of the twentieth century. In 1908, the club defeated Durham to win the...
before guesting for Penzance & Newlyn
Cornish Pirates
The Cornish Pirates are an English professional rugby union team who play in the Championship, the second level of the English rugby union pyramid, and are the premier Cornish rugby club. Formerly known as Penzance & Newlyn Pirates, the Cornish Pirates play their home games and train at their...
in the 1998 Safari Sevens
Safari Sevens
The Safari Sevens, known as the Safaricom Sevens after main sponsors Safaricom is an annual rugby sevens tournament held in Kenya. The tournament is run by the Kenya Rugby Football Union...
tournament in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
where he was spotted by Kyran Bracken
Kyran Bracken
Kyran Paul Patrick Bracken MBE is a former English rugby union footballer who played at scrum-half for Saracens, Bristol and Waterloo R.F.C....
who recommended him to Saracens and Thirlby joined the club ahead of the 1998-1999 season. He made his Sarries debut in an Anglo-Welsh clash with Cardiff
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
on 16 January 1999, kicking 11 points in a 36-22 victory. He made his Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
debut against Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
on 6 February 1999 and went on to make 28 appearances for the club in the competition, scoring six tries.
Bath Rugby
Thirlby left Saracens to join Bath RugbyBath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
in May 2000 and celebrated his move with a call up for England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
's 2000 tour of South Africa
2000 England rugby union tour of South Africa
-Matches:-Touring party:*Manager: Clive Woodward*Assistant Manager: Andy Robinson*Captain: Martin Johnson-Full Back:Matt Perry , Tim Stimpson , Rob Thirlby .-Three-Quarters:...
. Although he did not appear in the test side, he played in the three tour matches, scoring a try in the 36-27 victory over Gauteng Falcons
Falcons (rugby team)
The Falcons, or Valke in Afrikaans, are a South African rugby union team in Gauteng province that participates in the annual Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup tournaments....
. He played 36 times for Bath in the Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
scoring eight tries, the highlight being the hat-trick of tries he scored against Rotherham on 14 April 2001, before joining Rotherham in February 2003. He helped the club secure promotion from National Division One back into the Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
before returning to Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and Penzance & Newlyn
Cornish Pirates
The Cornish Pirates are an English professional rugby union team who play in the Championship, the second level of the English rugby union pyramid, and are the premier Cornish rugby club. Formerly known as Penzance & Newlyn Pirates, the Cornish Pirates play their home games and train at their...
for the 2003-2004 season.
Gloucester Rugby
After two seasons with Penzance & NewlynCornish Pirates
The Cornish Pirates are an English professional rugby union team who play in the Championship, the second level of the English rugby union pyramid, and are the premier Cornish rugby club. Formerly known as Penzance & Newlyn Pirates, the Cornish Pirates play their home games and train at their...
, Thirlby returned to the Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
by signing a two-year contract with Gloucester Rugby. After just ten Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
appearances and a solitary try, Thirlby joined Redruth
Redruth R.F.C.
Redruth RFC is a Rugby union team from Cornwall.- History:Redruth RFC was founded in 1875 by Henry Grylls and W.H. Willimot. By the 1900s, the club was the most successful in Cornwall, a position they were to hold for much of the twentieth century. In 1908, the club defeated Durham to win the...
on loan in January 2007, agreeing a permanent two-year contract with the club in March 2007.
England Sevens
Thirlby has been a regular member of the England SevensEngland national rugby union team (sevens)
The English national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.-Honours:* 1973 International Seven-A-Side Tournament - Winners* Rugby World Cup Sevens Winners 1993* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2002* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2003*...
team. He represented the team in both the RWC Sevens 2001
2001 Rugby World Cup Sevens
The 2001 Rugby World Cup Sevens or the Melrose Cup was the 3rd edition of the tournament and held in Argentina. New Zealand defeated Australia to win the tournament for the first time. This was the first major rugby event ever held in South America....
and RWC Sevens 2005
2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens
-The winning team::Fiji national rugby sevens team*Waisale Serevi*Sireli Bobo*Vilimoni Delasau*William Ryder*Marika Vunibaka*Semisi Naevo*Nasoni Roko*Ifereimi Rawaqa*Jone Daunivucu*Lepani Nabuliwaqa*Norman Ligairi*Viliame Satala*Apolosi Satala...
, the only England player to do so, and was a member of Joe Lydon's twelve-man squad for the 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Although the team returned without medals, they did win the Sevens Plate in the tournament. He has made 35 appearances in the IRB Sevens World Series
IRB Sevens World Series
The IRB Sevens World Series, known officially as the HSBC Sevens World Series as of the 2010-11 season, through sponsorship from banking group HSBC, and also sometimes called the World Sevens Series, is a series of international rugby union sevens tournaments organised for the first time in the...
, the third highest total by an England player.